The Multitasking Mind

If the following scenario sounds familiar — you’re driving while making a phone call and listening to your GPS — you are not alone. Around the world, many confess to being on the phone while behind the wheel. While our early ancestors likely also tried to tackle multiple tasks at once, we live in an unprecedented time in terms of our opportunity and temptation to multitask.

You may think that trying to bite off two or more activities at a time makes you more productive, but many studies show that such efforts can be costly. Multitasking doesn’t just slow you down and increase the number of mistakes you make; it temporarily changes the way your brain works.

By studying the brain in action as people attempt to multitask, scientists hope to uncover new information about the limitations of the brain and implications for our busy lifestyles. Read more